According to the latest global estimates, 27.6 million people are victims of forced labor worldwide. Labor exploitation cuts across countries of various income levels, including those considered affluent. While anyone can be susceptible to labor exploitation, migrant workers face a heightened risk compared to non-migrant workers. Moreover, trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation was reported as the second most common form of exploitation in the EU-27 in 2021, with 29% of the registered victims in the EU-27 trafficked for forced labour.

 

Funded through the Migration Resource Allocation Committee (MiRAC), the regional project “Enhancing IOM’s protection capacity in the EEA+ Region to protect the rights of migrants subject to labour exploitation” aims to further strengthen IOM’s efforts to protect and empower migrants subject to labour exploitation in the European Economic Area.

 

The project will be articulated around the following components:

  • Organization of two international exchanges on access to justice for migrant workers and victims of trafficking for labour exploitation.
  • Development of a toolkit and training package on access to justice for migrant workers and victims of trafficking for labour exploitation.
  • Support for the development of national roadmaps on private sector engagement for the protection of migrant workers.
  • Organization of a regional webinar to exchange national roadmaps and discuss next steps.

Target beneficiaries include IOM staff working in the field of protection mainstreaming and labour migration and inclusion, national authorities of the EEA+ Region working in the field of labour migration, the private sector, and migrants subject to labour exploitation, including victims of trafficking.

 

For further information on the project, please see Project Flyer.